This cookie recipe is so good you can’t tell that it’s gluten-free! Of course, you can always add back the standard flour or the butter and non-vegan chocolate, but Pinelands Library is a unique place with unique people, and these cookies are a hit with everyone — especially our staff! Adapted from Tasty, it’s easier to make a vegan recipe gluten-free using measure-for-measure gluten-free flour than it is to make a gluten-free recipe vegan, which often involves flax eggs or apple cider vinegar.

Our favorite cookie recipe includes:

• ½ cup white granulated sugar
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup refined coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup non-dairy milk, like almond
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour, like Bob’s Red Mill Measure-for-Measure gluten free flour; if you’re not baking for a gluten-free household, feel free to use regular all-purpose flour.
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 8 oz vegan milk chocolate, like Mast Oat Milk Chocolate
• Flaky sea salt to sprinkle on top of the cookies (optional)

1. Whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and coconut oil until combined. It helps to melt the coconut oil in a large enough bowl to accommodate the rest of the ingredients. Measuring and mixing ingredients is a great job for kids. It teaches them math skills and gives them the opportunity to explore different textures and consistencies.
2. Whisk in non-dairy milk and vanilla until all sugar has dissolved and the batter is smooth. You can also use a spatula rather than a whisk.
3. Sift in the flour and baking soda, then fold the mixture with a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
4. Fold in the milk chocolate; you can either cut up a chocolate bar or use vegan milk chocolate chips if you can find them.
5. You MUST chill this dough for at least 30 minutes because of the amount of coconut oil.
6. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees and have kids spoon the dough, now chilled, onto a baking sheet, at least two inches apart and with about a tablespoon of dough for each cookie.
7. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of each cookie. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes; they do not spread much and because of the gluten-free flour they will remain rather crumbly.

After an adult removes the cookies from the oven, allow them to cool a bit before removing them from the baking sheet and enjoy!